Lahat ng Kabanata ng COLLECTION OF LUST AND LOVE: Kabanata 171 - Kabanata 180

Bryan didn’t reply, but he made no effort to disguise the heat that darkened his eyes or the flush against those hard cheekbones as he tightly clenched his jaw.Helena swallowed hard, knowing that whatever happened next—or didn’t happen—it was completely her choice. She knew from Bryan’s gentlemanly behaviour last night that he would not try to initiate anything between them that she didn’t absolutely want.At this moment she knew she wanted him.Badly!The reason for her initial sleeplessness last night had been a half-hope, half-dread, that there would be a knock on the communicating door announcing that Bryan had changed his mind about leaving her to spend the night alone. When the knock hadn’t come, Helena hadn’t known whether she was relieved or disappointed!But looking at him now, recognising his arousal, at least she knew that Bryan’s decision not to come to her last night hadn’t b

‘No,’ Helena assured him breathlessly, her eyes feverish, her lips red and swollen. ‘The doctor told me it’s perfectly safe for me to continue normal sexual relations. But as my “normal sexual relations” at the time were non-existent I—Oh…!’ She moaned weakly as Bryan moved between her thighs to position himself gently against her entrance.Slowly, oh so slowly, inch by inch, Bryan entered her, watching the deepening pleasure on Helena's face even as he kept a tight rein on his control so that he wouldn’t just surge deep within her in hard, thrusting possession, stroking rapidly until they both climaxed in wild, mindless ecstasy.His!Helena was his—all his, Bryan cried silently as he buried himself inside her to the hilt, halting all movement as he gave her time to adjust to his hard length, his jaw clenched in his effort to slow down.Helena, sensing the sheer effort of will Bryan was exerting, and knowing his caution was unnecessary, began to move her hips against him, and his own

She was less angry the following morning, when Bryan returned to her apartment to begin the drive to Gloucestershire. Less angry, but more determined.She had made a mistake yesterday morning by making love with Bryan. A mistake that would not be repeated. Not that Bryan looked as if he would care for a repeat of that lapse either. His manner was curt in the extreme as he opened the car door for her to get into the passenger seat, his expression decidedly grim as he settled himself behind the wheel.She shot him a sideways glance as he manoeuvred the car out into the busy London traffic. Apart from a terse greeting when Helena had answered the door earlier to his knock, Bryan hadn’t even spoken to her this morning.Had these hours apart given him time to reflect too? To realise that his suggestion that the two of them marry had only been a knee-jerk reaction to knowing that she was pregnant with his child? After careful consideration, had he decided he didn’t really want to marry her?

‘Why didn’t you let us know you were coming?’ Her father gave her a brief, quizzical look as he received his own hug before turning his attention to their guest. ‘Mr Smith—it’s good to see you again.’ He shook the younger man warmly by the hand.‘Helena wanted to surprise you both,’ Bryan answered smoothly when it became obvious Helena was at a loss as to how to begin telling her parents of the reason for their visit.‘Well, she succeeded.’ Joey Botch, a tall, thin, slightly weathered-looking man, after hours of working outdoors with his horses, with blond hair liberally streaked with grey and eyes of twinkling green, gave his daughter an indulgent smile before indicating they should all sit down in the comfortably worn chairs in the family’s informal sitting room.Bryan waited until Helena had seated herself on the edge of the faded gold-coloured sofa before deliberately sitting down next t

He smiled. ‘It means that I know you are not in love with me yet, but that I hope, given time, to persuade you into loving me as much as I love you. And I do love you—a great deal, Helena,’ he added throatily. ‘I love you as I never thought I would love anyone,’ he told her intently. ‘I love you more than life itself!’Helena stared at him, completely dumbstruck, completely overwhelmed! ‘I—But—You can’t love me!’ she finally managed to gasp.Bryan’s smile deepened. ‘The fact that you are the only person I know who would dare to tell me who I can or cannot love is one of the reasons that I do love you.’‘But—but you never even approved of me as a friend for Emma.’‘I was guilty of that arrogance, yes.’‘And even less so after my marriage and divorce,’ she continued, frowning now.He drew in a sharp breath. ‘You are in no way responsible for the brevity of your marriage to Peter Mollan!’ he told her harshly.Helena looked up at him cautiously, seeing the fierce anger in his gaze. And yet